Portable melting ladle



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PORTABLE MELTING LADLE Filed April 1, 1938 I R h lnven Tor.

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Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE MELTING LADLE Application April 1, 1938, Serial No. 199,427

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable melting ladle designed to be used for melting Babbitt metal or other metal, and then pouring the molten metal into a bearing, form or mold. The ladle is useful for melting and pouring any metal having a relatively low melting point, and is especially useful in connection with the handling of Babbitt metal for babbitting bearings, etc.

In babbitting bearings one common practice is to melt the Babbitt metal in a portable ladle at a forge and then to transport manually the molten metal in the ladle from the forge to the bearing into which it is to be poured. If such bearing is located a considerable distance from the forge the carrying manually of the ladle containing molten metal from the forge to the bearing may involve some difficulty and more or less danger.

My improved melting ladle is constructed so that the metal can be melted therein at any location, and, therefore, the melting of the metal can be accomplished closely adjacent to the bearing which is to be babbitted or the form into which the molten metal is to be poured.

My improved melting ladle is equipped with an electric heating unit by which the metal is melted and with a built-in plug receptacle to which the electric cable may be detachably connected, the construction being such that when the electric cable is detached from the plug receptacle, the ladle is free of any circuit wires and can thus be readily transported manually to any desired location.

In order to melt the metal successfully with an electric heating unit operating with a wattage low enough to avoid burning the metal. I find it is desirable to provide means for heat insulating the ladle while the metal is being melted. One practical device for this purpose comprises a twopart enclosure for the ladle including a cradle member in which the ladle may be supported and a removable cover, said cradle and cover being constructed to provide the necessary heat insulation for the ladle. The cradle further functions as a support for the ladle.

In the drawing wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the melting ladle embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the bowl of the ladle, the cradle and the cover in section;

Fig. 3'is a top plan view of the ladle and part of the handle with a portion broken out;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cradle.

The ladle herein illustrated is designated generally at I and it comprises the bowl portion 2 in which the metal is melted and the handle portion 3 by which the ladle is manipulated. The bowl is shown as provided with two pouring lips 4 situated on opposite sides thereof.

Associated with the ladle bowl 2 is an electric heating unit 5, the wires of which lead to a plug receptacle 6 which is shown as attached to the top of the handle 3 adjacent'the bowl. This plug receptacle has the socket I within which is located the terminals 8, said socket being adapted to receive a plug terminal 9 on the end of a cable ill by which the heating unit 5 is connected to a source of electricity. This cable I0 is shown as having an ordinary plug terminal H on its free end so that it can be plugged into any convenient wall receptacle. It will be noted that the 'cable Ill is entirely separate from the ladle handle and, therefore, when the plug terminal 9 is disconnected from the plug receptacle 6, the ladle is entirely free from any circuit wires so that it can be readily transported manually to any desired location.

Although the heating unit 5 is shown as an open unit situated in the bottom of the bowl 2, yet if desired this unit might be built into the walls of the bowl portion. Suitable heat-insulating means for the ladle are provided which reduce to a great extent loss of heat by radiation when the metal in the ladle is being melted, and while various ways of providing the necessary heat insulation may be employed, yet I prefer the construction herein shown which involves a two-part enclosure for the ladle arranged to constitute a heat-insulating jacket therefor. This enclosure comprises a supporting cradle i2 and a removable cover II. The cradle i2 is formed with a cavity l3 of a shape to receive the under side of the bowl and is also formed with foot portions l4 on which it is supported and with an outwardly extending flange l5 at its upper edge which forms a support for the cover II. The cover I! is provided with an opening It! in one wall through which the handle 3 and the plug receptacle 6 project when the cover is in place as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ladle is formed on its under side with two short legs 24 and the cradle I2 is provided with two recesses 25 to receive these legs when the bowl of the ladle is placed in the cradle. The cavity 13 of the cradle is somewhat larger than u the bowl 2 of the ladle and the legs 24 are or such length that when the ladle is placed in the cradle with the legs 24 occupying the recesses 25 the bottom of the ladle will be spaced from the cradle, thus providing an insulating air space 29 between the bowl and the ladle. The cover I! is of such shape that there is also provided an air space between the ladle bowl and the cover, and hence when the ladle is placed in the cradle and the cover is in position, the cradle and cover enclosure, together with the air space between the ladle and the enclosure, provide a heat-insulating enclosure for the ladle which cuts down or reduces very materially the heat loss due to radiation. With this arrangement it is possible to use an electric heating unit 5 having a sufficiently low wattage to avoid danger of burning the metal.

Depending from the handle 3 of the ladle is a leg l6 of such a length that when the leg is resting on the floor with the bowl 2 supported in the cradle as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ladle will be held in a horizontal position. The two legs 24 on the bottom of the ladle, together with the leg l6 depending from the handle, form a three-point support for the ladle when it is placed on the floor outside of the cradle. The removable cover I! is shown as having a handle l9 by which it may be manipulated.

In using this device for babbitting bearings the cradle may be placed at any convenient location closely adjacent the bearing to be babbitted and the requisite amount of Babbitt metal is then placed in the bowl 2 of the ladle and the latter placed in the cradle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the cover I? is then placed over the ladle.

The heating unit 5 may be then connected to a source of current by means of the cord III. During the melting of the metal the cradle not only provides a firm support for the ladle but said cradle and the cover together constitute a heatinsulating enclosure for the ladle which prevents loss of heat by radiation, and thus facilitates the melting of the metal.

When the Babbitt metal has been properly melted and the bearing is ready to receive the molten metal, the electric cable is disconnected from the plug receptacle 6, the cover I! is removed and the operator may then lift the ladle from the cradle and pour the molten Babbitt metal into the bearing.

If it is desired to set the ladle down for a short period during the babbitting operation, said ladle can be readily returned to the cradle in which it Or if the ladle is placed directly on the floor it will then have a threepoint support through the two short legs 24 and the leg IE on the handle.

The cover H is shown as provided with means for latching it to the cradle so that the enclosure,

including the cover and the cradle, may be carried as a unit.

For this purpose the cover has pivotally secured to each end a spring latch 33 having a portion 34 adapted to lock under the flange l5 of the cradle.

tion, a handle member, an electric heating unit for melting metal in the bowl, and a plug receptacle mounted on the exterior of the handle and situated adjacent the bowl and to the terminals of which the heating unit is electrically connected, said plug receptacle adapted to detachably receive a plug terminal of an electric connection which is separate from the handle.

2. A portable melting ladle having a bowl portion, a handle member, electric means for melting metal in the bowl portion, a two-part heat-insulating enclosure for the bowl portion of the ladle and comprising a cradle member having supporting foot portions and formed with a cavity to receive the bowl of the ladle, and a cover member removably supported by the cradle, there being an insulating air space between the bowl and the enclosure.

3. A portable melting ladle having a bowl portion, a handle member, electric means for melting metal in the bowl portion, a two-part heat-insulating enclosure for the bowl portion of the ladle and comprising a cradle member having supporting foot portions and formed with a cavity to receive the bowl of the ladle, a cover member removably supported by the cradle, there being an insulating air space between the bowl and the enclosure, and a leg depending from the handle member and of a length to hold said ladle in level position when the bowl is resting in the cradle.

4. A portable melting ladle having a bowl portion, a handle member, electrical means for melting metal in the bowl, combined with a heat-insulating enclosure for said bowl portion comprising a cradle member having supporting foot portions and formed with a cavity to receive the bowl of the ladle, and a removable cover supported by the cradle member and constructed to enclose the bowl portion, said bowl portion having short legs on its under side which cooperate with the cradle to space the bottom of the bowl from the bottom of said cavity, and a leg secured to and depending from the handle member, said leg being of a length to hold the ladle in a level position when the bowl is supported by the cradle.

5. A portable melting ladle having a bowl portion, a handle member, electrical means for melting metal in the bowl, a two-part heat-insulating enclosure for the bowl portion including a cradle member having a cavity to receive the bowl of the ladle, a cover removably carried by the cradle and adapted to enclose the upper portion of the bowl, and means for spacing the bottom of the bowl from the cavity bottom thereby providing a heatinsulating air space between the bowl and the cradle.

6. A portable melting ladle having a bowl portion, a handle member, electrical means for melting metal in the bowl, a two-part heat-insulating enclosure for the bowl portion, said enclosure including a cradle member having a cavity to receive the bowl of the ladle and also having an outwardly extending flange at its upper edge, and a cover member removably supported on said flange and constructed to enclose the bowl, means for spacing the bottom of the bowl from the cavity bottom thereby providing a heat-insulating air space between the bowl and said enclosure, and latches carried by the cover and adapted to detachably engage said outwardly extending flange of the cradle for temporarily locking the cover to the cradle.

RALPH W. CHAPMAN. 

